Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Tom Harris Deceives About Science

Tom Harris, the fossil fuel industry paid shill, has another letter where he tries to portray science as nothing more than an opinion. If that wasn't bad enough, he quoted Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry as an authority. You can imagine that it didn't go very well - and it didn't. Read it here. I collaborated with commenter Terry on a response, which was published in the Duluth News Tribune here. A more direct response is shown below.

*****

Regarding the June 26, 2017 “Scientific theories aren't
truth, but educated opinions,” this article is designed to deceive the reader. This isn’t a surprise
considering the author, Tom Harris, is paid to place articles for the purpose
of undermining climate science.

It is deceitful for Harris to claim science is an opinion. Gravity
isn’t an opinion. It isn’t an opinion that humans must breathe air. The
greenhouse effect isn’t an opinion. All of these are conclusions, supported
with scientific evidence and reached via the scientific method.

As for his “experts” questioning climate science, the truth
is that in excess of 97% of all climate scientists agree that manmade climate
change is real. If 97% of engineers said a bridge was unsafe, would you drive
over it because someone who isn’t even an expert in the field insists that science
and engineering are opinions?

Concerning ‘skeptics,’ Harris isn’t one. A skeptic examines
the facts with an open and questioning mind. Harris doesn’t fit that
description. He has rejected science and has a long resume of advocating for
the fossil fuel and tobacco industries. See more at http://tomharrisicsc.blogspot.com/2016/12/tom-harris-paid-shill.html

We also note how Harris quoted DoE Secretary Rick Perry
concerning having an ‘open discussion.’ So, let’s have an open discussion concerning
Secretary Perry.

Perry has received considerable funding from oil and gas interests, was a board member
of Energy Transfer Partners — owner of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), is a former
chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), and received
funding for his presidential campaign from the CEO of Energy Transfer Partners.
Perry even advocated eliminating the DoE during his presidential run.

Once the facts are presented, the
picture is not as painted by the highly deceptive Harris. And, that is not an
opinion.